


Son Of A ReaperMan

by Joyful_Bones



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, blood mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 01:55:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17255414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joyful_Bones/pseuds/Joyful_Bones
Summary: Centuries of reaping has failed to teach Kravitz how to deal with children. This is unfortunate, since his boyfriend has pretty much adopted the one and only world's greatest child detective.Still, he tries.





	Son Of A ReaperMan

Kravitz doesn’t remember if he was any good with children, back when he was alive.

He suspects that he wasn’t, or that those skills had been worn away by centuries of working for the Raven Queen. Death and solitude made it difficult to maintain any kind of personal relationships, really. It had been a very, very long time since he’d had friends among the living. He’d needed time to relearn things like touch and attention.

Some stuff came naturally. He wanted to kiss Taako, so he did, and it was so wonderful that he couldn’t help stealing more whenever the opportunity presented itself. Other things took a while to ease back into. He no longer jumped when Magnus thumped him on the shoulder. Hugs were something he’d come to expect and enjoy. He was a lot better at remembering that time passed differently for mortals, and that some dates were important to celebrate. 

With Taako’s help, he was learning how to live again. He wouldn’t give that up for anything.

There was just one issue though, and that was Angus.

Kravitz liked the boy, he really did. The world’s youngest detective was friendly, respectful and unbelievably clever. He could talk so fast it made Kravitz’s head spin. And it was clear that Taako adored him, as did everyone else, despite their teasing. Angus was a good kid.

But Kravitz hadn’t spent any time with children outside of bounties for a millennia. It was always tragic to see them getting mixed up in cult rituals. But Kravitz was used to it, and usually shuffled their souls off to the afterlife with a brief comfort before moving on to his next job. He usually avoiding living children. They always seemed nervous around him, with his cold skin and strange eyes. He didn’t blame them.

But Angus wasn’t nervous. And Kravitz couldn’t just ignore him, even if he wanted to. He loved Taako and the rest of his family, and that included the boy. Which left him at a bit of a loss of what to do. 

He had no idea how to talk to Angus. Watching the others was no help, since they all practically bullied the child, and Kravitz wasn’t sure that would go over well. He sometimes tried to talk to Angus about his cases, but he felt stiff and awkward and didn’t miss the way Taako often appeared to shuffle Angus off, as if taking pity on him. 

Deep down Kravitz was more disappointed than relieved. He was trying, and it was clear that Taako didn’t have a lot of faith in him. It had gotten to the point where Kravitz tended to leave for work whenever he knew Angus was coming to visit. He didn’t want his awkward presence to be a shadow on their time catching up. 

But he couldn’t hide forever. Kravitz was determined to be better. Sure it had been awhile, but he was the Grim Reaper, servant to the Raven Queen. Surely he could figure out a way to hold a conversation with one young boy.

The next time Angus came to visit, Kravitz stayed home. When the bubbly boy came in from the snow and took his scarf off, Kravitz perked up at the sight of the book poking out of the top of his bag.

“Is that a Caleb Cleveland novel?” he asked with false innocence, while Taako banged around in the kitchen behind him.

Angus lit up. “Yes! Have you read them sir?”

“I certainly have.” In all honesty, Kravitz had only started reading them when Taako mentioned that the series was Angus’ favourite. He had even bought the most recent book while out on a bounty and read the entire thing in one night. Kravitz recognised the cover of that book now and got excited.

“Are you enjoying the book?”

“Oh yes sir!” Angus quickly pulled the book out and gripped it in front of him with delight. “It’s probably my favourite so far! Until the next one comes out, that is.”

“Every story is better than the last,” Kravitz agreed, and it was true even if the books were a little below his reading level. “I couldn’t believe the twist ending. I thought for sure it would be the elf that killed her, not the human.”

Something crashed in the kitchen. Kravitz glanced over, seeing Taako appear in the doorway making frantic cutting-off motions. He frowned. The reaper looked back to Angus, and was startled to see the devastated look on the boy’s face.

“What’s wrong Angus?” he asked, scrambling to figure out what he’d said to make his face fall.

“Nothing sir,” Angus replied, voice subdued. “I just hadn’t gotten to the end yet. I can’t read as fast you, I’m just a young boy.”

Kravitz was stricken. “I- Gods, Angus, I’m so sorry-”

“Alright, who’s gonna be my sous chef!” Taako announced with a clap of his hands, making them both jump. “Taako’s been slaving away in the kitchen while you two chit-chat, that shit don’t play in this house.”

“It’s nice to see you again Mr Kravitz,” Angus said politely as Taako shooed him away.

The elf shot Kravitz an exasperated look. Kravitz just stood and stared, struck dumb by his own stupidity. 

“I didn’t mean to,” he began, and Taako shook his head.

“I know bubelah, don’t worry about it. Kid probably had the ending figured out anyway. Don’t let us keep you, you probably have work to do, yeah?”

“Right,” Kravitz said numbly, even though he’d planned on staying. Taako patted his shoulder and followed Angus into the kitchen. The reaper hesitated for a second longer before summoning his scythe and cutting open a portal.

Best to just take the hint and leave. He’d done enough damage for one day.

 

 

It was Magnus who gave him the idea. The fighter had brought cupcakes along to a gathering they all had, despite the fact that Lup and Taako were clearly catering. Davenport had also brought a platter of some dish Kravitz hadn’t recognised but that all seven of the birds went wild over. 

Neither of them could hold a candle to Taako’s cooking of course, but that wasn’t the point. They had made something for their friends. It was a sign of caring. Less about the taste and more about the effort that had gone into it. Taako had complained about Magnus’ shitty sprinkle cupcakes with too much frosting and then eaten three.

So Kravitz took to the kitchen. It had been awhile since he’d cooked as well, but that had been one of the first lessons Taako smacked him upside the head with. He may not be a great cook but he at least understood most of the ingredients just from watching Taako.

He followed the cookie recipe word for word. Measuring everything painstakingly, he sat and watched the oven while they baked. There was no way they’d measure up to Taako’s cookies, even with his careful mixing, but at the very least they wouldn’t be burnt. 

Kravitz had just pulled the cookies out of the oven and set them on the counter to cool when he heard the twins and Angus come home from their shopping spree. He quickly stole a cookie for a taste test. A little blander than he remembered Taako’s being, but not awful either. 

The smell of fresh cookies clearly wafted through the house and a few minutes later Kravitz heard feet running towards the kitchen. Angus peeked in, then grinned when he saw the reaper standing with an apron on over his dress pants.

“Hello Mr Kravitz!” he greeted cheerfully.

“Hello there Angus,” Kravitz replied, taking off the apron. “Would you like a cookie? Careful, they might be a little hot.”

“Yes please!”

Angus stepped forward and picked up a cookie. He dropped it with a noise of surprise. Kravitz finished wiping his hands off on a towel and picked up the cookie, letting his chilly hand cool it down slightly as he handed it over to the boy. Angus took it with a polite thank you and bit in.

Kravitz’ heart beat in his chest, just once, at the sight of the smile that came over the child’s face. He put a hand to his mouth to keep crumbs from flying out.

“These are pretty good Mr Kravitz!”

“Thank you Angus. Want another? I made plenty for you.”

He held out another cookie, and Angus crammed the rest of the first in his mouth so that he could take it. Kravitz smiled and turned his back to hide how pleased he was. He could hear Angus munching away as Kravitz got to work cleaning the dishes.

And then he heard the boy choke.

It started as a little cough and quickly grew into a fit. Kravitz glanced over his shoulder and was alarmed to see Angus red-faced and choking, trying to cough something up into his hand. 

At once Kravitz dumped the dishes and sent soap suds flying everywhere as he rushed to kneel beside Angus. He was staring at Kravitz with wide, panicked eyes. But before he could say anything, the boy let out a particularly nasty coughing sound and they both heard footsteps sprinting towards the kitchen.

The door banged open. Taako appeared in the doorway, wild-eyed when he saw the state his apprentice was in. He cast around, face paling when he saw the tray of cookies and he swept them off the counter in a panic. Kravitz was shoved backwards out of the way. The wizard crouched down and thumped on Angus’ back until the boy coughed up the piece of cookie he had been choking on.

Almost immediately his coughing eased. The flush gradually faded from his face until Angus was breathing easily. Taako rubbed his back comfortingly, some of the colour returning to his own face.

“You’re alright,” Taako was saying over and over. “You just got something stuck in your throat, right? Nothing to worry about. Just choked a little bit, so dramatic.”

Kravitz slowly pushed himself up from where he’d been shoved back on the floor. There were cookies all over the floor and he knew nobody would be eating them now. After another anxious glance over at the pair he set about cleaning up. He kept his head down and slowly started gathering up the ruined cookies on the fallen tray.

“-you go get a drink and find Lup, okay? Go chill out my man,” Taako was saying.

Angus nodded. Kravitz kept his eyes down so he didn’t see if the boy looked at him when he left. Then it was just him and Taako alone in the kitchen.

Kravitz stood with the tray and dumped the cookies into the trash. When he turned around Taako was on his feet. He still looked wary from the shock, but also perhaps a little guilty.

“Sorry about your cookies, bubelah,” he said after a moment, crossing his arms. “‘Cha boy might have panicked a little, no idea why.”

Kravitz knew why, and because he knew, he couldn’t be upset. He sighed at the sight of the cookies in the trash before shaking his head at his boyfriend.

“It’s alright Taako, I understand. They were terrible cookies anyway.”

The elf came forward to wrap his arms around his waist. Kravitz let him, but avoided meeting his eyes, still tremendously disappointed.

“Why were you making cookies anyway, babe? You on a baking kick? Because I’d rather you waited until I was here to supervise.”

“I just thought it would be a nice gesture,” Kravitz deflected. He pressed a kiss to Taako’s forehead before pulling away. “I’m going to finish washing up. You get back to the others, I’m fine.”

Taako let him retreat, a small frown pulling at his brow.

“If you’re sure.”

Kravitz turned back to the sink. He kept his ears peeled and finally heard Taako walk out a few moments later. Only once he was alone did the reaper let his shoulders droop.

 

 

After that Kravitz stopped trying to force it. He decided instead that what he needed was to research.

He sat on the couch in front of a roaring fire, paging through a book. Kravitz didn’t usually notice the cold but Taako liked to come home to a toasty warm house. The reaper occasionally took notes in the margin of the parenting book he had picked up the day before. A lot of the advice in it seemed to be for much younger children, but Kravitz studied it closely anyway. Who knew what would turn out to be important. Angus did act very mature but he was still young. 

Kravitz was so engrossed in his studying that he didn’t hear the front door click open.

“Hey babe, watcha readin?”

Kravitz _slammed_ the book shut and stuffed it down the side of the couch, hands snapping back to his lap. Too late. Taako stood with his eyebrows raised, moving to close the door behind him.

“Whatcha got there hon?” the elf asked, eyes sparking with mischief. 

“Nothing,” Kravitz said quickly, mouth suddenly dry.

“Doesn’t seem like nothing.”

Taako started towards him, and at once Kravitz was scrambling up, grabbing the book and hiding it behind himself. He kept his free hand out to ward the elf off. His boyfriend stalked towards him, even as Kravitz retreated to maintain the distance.

“It’s not important, I swear. Don’t worry about it Taako.”

“What are you hiding?”

“It’s nothing-”

Taako lunged at him and Kravitz jerked back, only to hear his boyfriend laugh.

“Seriously bubelah, are you reading porn in the living room? Ya boy’s cool with it, but you have to show me what’s got you so flustered.”

“It’s private,” Kravitz pleaded. He stumbled into the couch and Taako chased him around it backwards until he almost tripped over the coffee table.

Suddenly Taako blinked out of existence. Kravitz spun around but wasn’t quick enough. He felt hands pluck the book out of his grasp and by the time he turned, Taako was dancing away, leafing through the book at random.

“What even is this?” Taako demanded, bewildered. Kravitz made a grab for the book and missed. “Doesn’t look sexy at all.”

“Taako, give it back-!”

His boyfriend poked his tongue out at him. Kravitz could feel himself growing desperate, until finally he wrapped an arm around the elf from behind to hold him still while he snatched at the book. He finally got a hand on it but Taako refused to let go, still trying to make out the title on the cover. 

“Let me see!” Taako laughed.

They yanked it back and forth, Kravitz’s hands almost slipping on the book. Taako was craning his neck to try and read the spine. The reaper’s voice came out louder than he meant it to.

“Let _go!”_

The shout startled Taako into loosening his grip on the book. Instantly Kravitz yanked it away and threw it into the fireplace. The flames devoured the flimsy pages greedily, licking along the binding and obscuring any evidence of Kravitz’s guilty study session. 

Both of them stared at the burning book in shock. Then Kravitz slumped, misery descending over him as he watched the pages crumble to ash. 

Taako seemed stunned into silence. He stood with his hands by his side, at a loss of how to respond to his boyfriend’s sudden outburst. Kravitz ignored him for moment, staring into the fireplace with his fists clenched and jaw tight with disappointment.

Slowly he heard Taako approach, and slip his arms around him from behind.

“Sorry bubelah,” the elf said into his shirt. “I was only teasing. I didn’t realise you were genuinely upset.”

“It’s fine,” Kravitz said automatically, still staring at the ruins of the book. His voice sounded far away. 

Taako’s arms tightened around him. “It’s clearly not.”

They stood there for several minutes, until Kravitz remembered that he could move and reached up to put his hands over Taako’s on his stomach.

“I think I’m going to go to bed,” he said, a little numb still. He felt very cold, in a way he hardly noticed but now seemed glaringly obvious. It was a wonder that Taako wasn’t shivering with his arms around him.

Taako twisted to try and catch his eye. “You sure? Don’t want to talk about this some more?”

“No.” Kravitz untangled himself from Taako’s arms. He bent down to kiss his cheek to ease the sting of the rejection. “Goodnight Taako.”

“Night Krav,” Taako said quietly. He crossed his arms and watched the reaper head for their bedroom.

Being undead, Kravitz didn’t really need to sleep. He could. But he didn’t need to, and right now he didn’t much want to either, too caught up in his own thoughts. Instead he laid in bed and stared at the ceiling while he thought.

It was amazing, he pondered, how centuries of confidence could be shaken so completely by one little boy. Kravitz had never felt so out of his depth. Everything in this life he was building with Taako was new, but most of it was a joy to discover. Most of it he could handle without too much trouble. 

Why not this?

The door creaked open. Kravitz considered feigning sleep, but didn’t. He kept his eyes on the ceiling and listened to the elf pad softly around the bed to where he was laying. Taako set something on the bedside table, gentle in a way he rarely was. Then he crept back around to his side of the bed and slipped under the blankets. As he scooted closer to Kravitz, the reaper turned his head to see what he’d put by his bedside, and saw a familiar book cover. Repaired by magic but still smelling vaguely smoky.

Taako carefully cuddled up to him, like he was expecting to be pushed away.

“You pregnant, Krav?” he asked into the silence.

Kravitz stared at the book and stroked a hand down Taako’s back.

“Then why are you reading parenting books, bubelah?” Taako continued, nuzzling his shoulder. Kravitz finally looked down and saw Taako watching him with concern. His pointed ears flicked nervously. Kravitz reached up to touch one, and the way Taako immediately batted him away like always settled his nerves. The tension in the room cracked just slightly.

“I figured I needed all the help I can get,” Kravitz eventually responded in a soft tone. 

“Is this about Ango? Krav, you know you don’t have to do anything with the kid, it’s no sweat.”

“It is though. He’s important to you.”

Taako scoffed. But his ears drooped at the pointed look Kravitz shot him. The elf gave up on denying it further and instead reached up to stroke a finger along the bridge of his boyfriend’s nose.

“You don’t have to try so hard.”

Kravitz sighed. He bundled Taako up in his arms, tugging him closer.

“It shouldn’t be this difficult,” he said, a little bitterly.

Taako snuggled into him. “You’ll figure it out. Kids aren’t complicated, they just want sugar and attention.”

“Tried both of those,” Kravitz pointed out to him. “Didn’t work out too well.”

Taako fell quiet for a second. As if he’d only just caught on to how long the reaper had been trying. Then he sat up and swung a leg over Kravitz to straddle him. The reaper settled his hands on his thighs and looked up at his boyfriend, taking in his serious expression.

“You’re doing just fine, boneman,” Taako told him, all of the teasing tone from his tone. “Angus does like you. He knows as well as I do that you’re a good egg. Give yourself a little credit.”

Kravitz leaned up to catch his lips in a kiss.

“Thank you,” he said, “Also for fixing my book.”

“Yeah, I thought it was something important. Gonna be honest babe you might want to ditch the self-help books. Not super relevant in this case. If you’re really out of ideas for how to deal with Ango, you could always just ask him. Kid’s smart. Don’t tell him I said that though.”

“No promises,” Kravitz said, and kissed him again to silence any protests.

 

 

As far as cult’s went, this group was quite large. Kravitz took stock of their numbers before he entered the cave system they had set up base in. Ugh, caves. Always with the spooky location. Kravitz could appreciate a commitment to aesthetic, but honestly, it was unimaginative. 

At least it was familiar. Kravitz wasn’t the least bit concerned, despite how many necromancers he was taking on. Against death, numbers were futile. 

Still, he was a professional, so he took his time. Kravitz slipped through the shadows and took note of where all of his bounties were. There were familiar runes staining the wall in blood and bones littering the corners of the room. A lot of these bones were too small to belong to an adult. Kravitz grimaced at them and moved on.

It didn’t take long to find the centre of their hideout. This was where the majority of them had gathered with their hoods and artefacts. Kravitz appeared in the middle of them. They gasped at the sight of him, while he cleared his throat and summoned his book from the air.

“Now I don’t have the time to read all of your names,” he told them, affecting an accent for the hell of it, “But I’m sure you all know why I’m here.”

He snapped the book shut and it disappeared, along with the skin on his hand. The effect travelled, peeling away his flesh until he was entirely skeletal, grinning at them without lips. Kravitz summoned his scythe, red eyes aglow.

“Any last words?” he asked.

“Oi, do any of you know this kid? I caught him sneaking around, you better fess up or- oh shit.”

Kravitz turned as another man entered the room. The more the merrier, he thought to himself, before he noticed that the necromancer was not alone. No, he was carrying a small, struggling boy. A very familiar young boy.

Angus flailed, trying desperately to reach his wand lanyard. But it was trapped against his body by the arm around his torso. The necromancer spotted Kravitz and paled, but did not loosen his grip on the kid.

Kravitz usually didn’t feel a lot while in his skeletal form. But in that moment, he felt a freezing cold sear through his bones, turning his very soul to ice.

“You,” he said, forgoing the accent as his voice dropped several octaves, reverberating off the cave walls, “Will unhand him. _Now._ ”

The necromancer quaked in his boots. But he kept a tight hold on Angus, seemingly thinking that the boy was his ticket to leave this room alive. He was wrong. Nobody would be leaving alive.

Angus had fallen still, blinking at the reaper.

“Mr Kravitz?” he asked, some of the panic being replaced by hope. 

Kravitz’s hand trembled on his scythe. He gripped it tighter.

“Angus, close your eyes and cover your ears.”

“But sir-”

The necromancer went for the knife on his hip, moving as if to raise it to Angus’ throat. Kravitz moved faster than the human eye could detect, the shadows becoming feathered wings that propelled him towards the pair. He was swinging his scythe before he’d even come to a stop.

The knife hit the ground. So did his head, the spray of blood regrettably covering Angus before the dead man’s arms slackened and the boy scrambled away. The other necromancers in the room were shocked out of their stupor by the display and immediately began shouting.

“Close your eyes,” Kravitz repeated the order, turning to face them, scythe at the ready.

“Mr Kravitz-”

_“Do as I say!”_

Kravitz didn’t get a chance to see if the young detective obeyed his instruction. He flew forwards, scythe glinting. Spinning and darting and slashing and shredding, he went through them like a knife through paper. One by one their screams were cut off with a gurgle. Kravitz fell into the familiar motions. Even driven by fury, he had a job to do, and if he was particularly merciless with his reaping, well. Nobody was around to judge him.

The last body hit the floor with a sickening thud. Still seething, Kravitz summoned a portal to the stockade and watched without sympathy as the souls were funnelled into their cells. He would sort out their proper placement and sentences later. Right now he had more important matters to take care of.

Kravitz recalled his skin to hide his bones. Once his face was on, the reaper turned to find the boy detective curled up on the ground, eyes shut and ears covered. Just like Kravitz had told him.

He stormed over and picked the boy up without fuss. Angus twitched at the sudden contact, but quickly shifted to hold on to Kravitz.

“Can I open my eyes now?” he checked.

Kravitz looked at the carnage filling the room. Most of the bodies were no longer in one piece, and although the walls had already been bloodied, now they were positively sickening. Kravitz was almost ashamed of how out of control the fight had gotten.

“Not yet,” he said. Then he cut a portal to his and Taako’s house and stepped through.

It was only once they were in his living room that Kravitz put Angus down. 

“Now you can,” he told him, tone short.

The boy blinked his eyes open. Immediately he looked around with surprise. Taako hadn’t appeared when he’d heard the rift, so the elf must not have been home. Which left the boy detective and the reaper alone in the sitting room, and all of a sudden Kravitz couldn’t keep from bursting a single second longer.

“What in the Queen’s name were you thinking?!” he snapped, and Angus flinched back in surprise. “Angus, why were you in that cave?”

“I was on a case sir. Some children had gone missing and-”

“You were almost one of them!” Kravitz exclaimed. “Cults like that are immeasurably dangerous, Angus! To go there, especially on your own, was foolish and reckless! You could have been hurt. You could have suffered _much_ worse.”

In the back of his mind Kravitz knew that he shouldn’t be upset with the boy. But the reaper knew exactly what happened in places like that. He’d had centuries to get used to those kinds of horrors, but now, faced with the thought of _Angus_ on that pedestal, of _Angus’_ little bones piled meaninglessly in a corner- it chilled him to the core. Kravitz dispelled his scythe and clenched his fists to try and get himself back under control.

“Never do anything like that again, do you hear me?” he berated, tone lower but no less furious. “Those kinds of cults are no place for a young boy. If you suspected that your case led to necromancers, you should have me know and gone home. Do you understand? What you did was _very very dangerous.”_

Angus had shrunken down like he was trying to appear small. Shoulders up to his ears, the boy looked down as his feet the entire time Kravitz raged. His bottom lip quivered.

“I’m sorry,” he said, voice tiny.

Kravitz reeled his emotions back, taking a deep breath he didn’t need just to steady himself.

“Never do that again,” he ordered.

Angus nodded miserably.

“May I go to my room sir?”

“I think that would be for the best.”

The boy detective hurried to the guest room that Taako refused to admit belonged to Angus for his visits. He ducked inside and shut the door quietly. Kravitz sighed. Still full of energy he began pacing, trying to calm down from the fate the boy had so narrowly avoided. If Kravitz hadn’t been on that specific job, if he’d decided to stop in to speak to his Queen like he’d considered, and been too late-

He hardly dared to think what might have happened.

But still, perhaps he had been too harsh on Angus. Kravitz knew he had a temper, and while it didn’t matter so much to let loose on death-defying criminals, maybe yelling at a ten year old hadn’t been his best decision of the day. Shifting uncomfortably, Kravitz resolved to call Taako. Whatever the elf was doing, it could wait. Kravitz would bring him here to do a better job of expressing to Angus just how reckless he had been.

But as Kravitz reached for his stone of farspeech, he heard a sniffle through the door. The reaper froze. Then he stepped towards Angus’ bedroom, ear to the door. Another muffled sniffle, like Angus was crying.

At once all of Kravitz’ stress and anger vanished. Instead he felt only dismay. If he’d been living he was sure he would have paled, or felt his heart sink, but as it was he was just a dead man, standing behind a closed door, wondering why he had such trouble getting through to the other side.

Maybe he should just try.

After a moment of hesitation, Kravitz reached out and quietly turned the handle. He peeked inside. Angus was sitting on the bed, back to the door and head in his hands. The boy was openly sobbing. His shoulders shook with the shuddering tears.

Now Kravitz did feel his heart sink, and it wasn’t a pleasant feeling at all. He stepped inside. Angus didn’t look up, not even when Kravitz rounded the bed and slowly knelt in front of him. Kravitz put a cold hand on his knee, and the boy startled, lifting his tear-streaked face.

The reaper felt his own expression soften.

“Oh Angus,” he said, hating himself in that moment. “I- I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way.”

Angus sniffed and scrubbed hard at his face. Automatically Kravitz reached out to tug his hands away before he could do any damage.

“I’ll be honest with you Angus- you scared me. That still is no excuse for yelling at you the way I did, but I want you to know that I’m not angry at you. I was just- _extremely_ worried.”

To his relief, the boy’s weeping slowed, until he was just sniffing, a few tears slipping free now and then. Angus’ eyes kept darting from Kravitz’ face to the floor.

“I’m sorry,” he said thickly. 

“I know Angus. I know you didn’t mean to get caught up in that mess.”

It was then that Kravitz realised with a start that Angus was still very much covered in blood. He wanted to smack himself.

“Gods, look at the state of you. Let’s get you cleaned up, shall we?”

The reaper half expected Angus to insist that he didn’t need help and could wash up himself. But the boy seemed just as shaken as Kravitz, and that made him feel even worse for not taking care of him sooner. 

Kravitz led him into the washroom and began wiping the worst of the blood from his face and hair. Then he brought some of Angus’ spare clothes in while the water ran for a bath. He got the boy cleaned, dry and dressed in little time. 

“There,” he said once Angus had finished putting on his shirt. “That’s much better, isn’t it?”

Angus nodded. He had been unnervingly quiet throughout the process, but at least he’d stopped crying. Kravitz hesitated. Then he reached out and put a hand on the boy’s arm, taking on a gentle tone.

“I’m glad I showed up when I did, Angus,” he said. “We would have all been devastated if anything happened to you.”

“Even you?” Angus asked.

Kravitz blinked. “Of course.”

“I didn’t think you liked me very much, Mr Kravitz.”

The reaper was floored. He almost dropped his hand, but instead reached out with the other so that he was holding the boy’s shoulders.

“Listen to me Angus. You are a very special little boy, and I’m very glad to know you. When I saw you in that cave, I was terrified.” He dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Do you know how long it’s been since I was scared like that?”

Angus shook his head, eyes wide.

“Me neither,” Kravitz told him, and the boy gaped.

“Were you really scared for me sir?”

“Terribly. But I could tell that you weren’t scared at all, weren’t you?”

Angus hesitated. “Well,” he said quietly. “Maybe just a little.”

And then, before Kravitz could react, Angus flung himself at the reaper, wrapping his arms around his neck. Kravitz was too startled to do anything except catch him.

“I’m really glad you were there today,” Angus said, and Gods, it sounded like he was tearing up again.

“Me too,” said Kravitz. “Do you need anything? Hot chocolate? It won't be like Taako makes but-”

“I’d like that.”

Kravitz wrapped his arms around him securely and stood up, holding Angus to him. He carried him to the kitchen, little arms still wrapped tightly around his neck. Kravitz didn’t mind. Being a reaper, he didn’t have to worry about his arms getting tired, so he just shifted Angus to one arm while he got the hot chocolate ready with the other. 

The longer he held him, the less he wanted to put him down. It seemed the feeling was mutual. Angus appeared unwilling to lean more than an inch away from Kravitz, even when he was handed a mug. The pair leaned up against the counter and drank their hot chocolate in silence.

Kravitz had zoned out by the time Taako got home, content to just hold the boy and rock gently. The sound of the elf muffling laughter snapped him to attention. He glanced over to see his boyfriend with a hand over his mouth. His eyes were shining. 

“What’s all this?” Taako asked, whispering for some reason.

Kravitz looked down and was surprised to see Angus fast asleep against him, still clutching his empty mug. The reaper gently moved the cup to the counter and adjusted his hold on the boy.

“He...we had a bit of a bad day,” Kravitz answered quietly.

Immediately Taako frowned, taking in Angus’ tear-streaked cheeks.

“We’re alright now,” the reaper assured him. He smoothed a hand over Angus’ head and pressed a kiss there on instinct, the way he so often did to Taako. When he looked up again, the elf’s eyes had softened.

“You better put him to bed then,” Taako suggested.

“How?”

The elf rolled his eyes, fighting back laughter. “Come on you handsome idiot.”

He beckoned Kravitz to the bedroom. Through Taako’s quiet coaching, Kravitz cradled the boy’s head as he lowered him gently onto the bed and pulled the blankets up to his shoulders. Angus didn’t stir once. Kravitz leaned over him for a moment, marvelling at how young he looked.

“Come on,” Taako urged. He took his boyfriend’s hand and tugged him out of the room. Once the door was shut behind them, Taako pressed up against him and pulled him into a searing kiss.

“What was that for?” Kravitz asked once he finally pulled away, a little winded. Kisses like that always jump started his heart, and sure enough he could feel heat rise to his cheeks, his skin warming beneath Taako’s touch.

The elf just smiled, biting his lip coyly.

“No reason. So, the parenting books worked then?”

“Not as such,” admitted Kravitz. “But I think we’ll be okay.”

“Mm, better than okay my dude, you’re downright _fine_.”

Kravitz matched his grin with one of his own and put his hands on the elf’s hips, steering him backwards into their own room. They toppled onto the bed giggling. 

And if while kissing him Taako accidentally knocked the book off the bedside table, well, it hardly mattered. All Angus really needed was love.

Kravitz didn’t need instructions for that.

**Author's Note:**

> A dumb little idea that wouldn't let me go.


End file.
